Guy Fawkes

1570–1606

STERN MEN WITH DRAWN SWORDS CLOSED IN UPON HIM.

Guy Fawkes is the most famous character associate with the Catholic plot to blow up Parliament that occurred during the early reign of James I. He was the explosives expert of the group and was the first conspirator discovered on site. He was not, however, the master-mind of the plot, nor did he have any role other than carrying out the actual explosion. The plan to overthrow the Protestant government by blowing up Parliament, and placing a Catholic claimant on the throne was the brain-child of Robert Catesby, and a group of other Catholic nobles. The plot was discovered however, when several members of parliament got cryptic messages telling them to stay away on a particular day.

Guy Fawkes was in his mid thirties at the time of the conspiracy. He was born in England but had spent most of the previous decade fighting for the Catholic cause in the Netherlands. It was during his years as a soldier that he became something of an explosives expert. When the plot was uncovered he was caught red-handed, with a torch in hand, ready to ignite the explosives. He was tortured for four days but failed to reveal any of his co-conspirators. By the time he was put on trial, some had left the country, but others had taken up arms. He was convicted of treason, and then hung, drawn, and quartered.

Key events during the life of Guy Fawkes:

Year	Event
1570	Guy Fawkes born.
1593	Fought for the Catholic cause in the Netherlands. Became explosives expert.
1596	Present at the siege of Calais.
1602	Returned to England.
1605	Explosives expert for the Gunpower Plot.
1606	Tried and executed for treason.

Other Resources

Story Links	Book Links
Story of Guy Fawkes  in	Our Island Story  by  H. E. Marshall
What Gunpowder Plot Was  in	The Tudors and the Stuarts  by  M. B. Synge

Image Links
Stern men with drawn swords closed in upon him.  in Our Island Story	The Gunpowder Conspirators  in The Tudors and the Stuarts

Contemporary	Short Biography
James I	First Stuart king of England. Intelligent and competent, but unable to work effectively with Parliament.
Robert Catesby	Master mind of the Catholic Gunpower plot.